Pisgah may open Thursday

Dewey Mountain also readies for the season

December 26, 2012

SARANAC LAKE - The village is aiming to open Mount Pisgah Ski Center for the season on Thursday, just in time for the arrival of a big winter storm.

"Our manager, Charlie Martin, and his crew are working day and night to get the ski area up and running as quickly as it can during this holiday week and we hope to have families on the slopes by the weekend," village Mayor Clyde Rabideau said in a news release.

Messages posted on the mountain's Facebook page and the village's website on Monday said crews had been making snow at the mountain for three days, with another snowmaking session planned for today. Grooming was scheduled to take place Thursday morning with at least one trail, the Suicide trail, open for skiing that day from 3 to 8 p.m. Tubing and skiing will be available starting Friday, also from 3 to 8 p.m.

Rabideau noted that only three of Pisgah's six snowmaking machines were operational, although he said the village is working quickly to repair the broken ones.

The ground needs to be frozen, and temperatures need to be consistently in the low to mid 20s with humidity below 62 percent in order to make snow at the mountain.

Updates on Pisgah's status, along with lift ticket and season pass rates, hours of operation and other information, are posted on the village's website, www.saranaclakeny.gov.

Meanwhile, the cross-country ski trails at Dewey Mountain Recreation Center were packed on Monday, although there were still thin spots and skiers were advised to use caution, according to a message on its Facebook page. The mountain, which is run by the town of Harrietstown and managed by Adirondack Lakes and Trails Outfitters, was waiting for a few more inches of snow to officially open its trails.

That could happen soon as a winter storm is bearing down on the region. The National Weather Service in Burlington has issued a winter storm warning from 7 p.m. tonight to 7 a.m. Friday. As much as 10 to 15 inches of heavy snow is expected.